An Epiphany for Two – 1 Samuel 3

A text – 1 Samuel 3:1-10

3:1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
3:2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room;
3:3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
3:4 Then the LORD called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!”
3:5 and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
3:6 The LORD called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.”
3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
3:8 The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy.
3:9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
3:10 Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

A reflection:

Samuel’s mother, Hannah, wanted a child badly. She prayed for a son and promised God that if her prayers were answered, she would give her son back into God’s service. That is how Samuel came to be living as a young teen in a house of a corrupt old priest and his sons, and how he happened to be sleeping in the temple near the Ark of the Covenant. Eli was his trainer, his master, and Samuel was an attentive learner. So when a voice called him one night, Samuel was sure Eli wanted something.

When the voice called Samuel a third time and he ran to Eli to respond to his call, finally Eli understood. Perhaps it had been so long (if ever) since God had spoken to Eli that he had long ago forgotten how to listen for that voice. And Eli realized, to his wonder and perhaps shame, that God was speaking to this boy, Samuel, God’s answer to Hannah’s prayer. Samuel had been destined for a relationship with the Lord, and tonight was the night it was to be realized, to be made manifest. It was an epiphany, for Samuel of course, but also for Eli. This young apprentice was to be the one the Lord spoke directly to, not Eli or his family.

The news, the vision God gave Samuel that night was of the coming destruction of Eli’s family. It was not an easy vision. When we realize God is calling us, we learn that our calling is not to easy things. Our calling is to both hard and easy tasks that God needs to have done in the world. And prophets are very often not believed – until we see big things happening and then perhaps remember we had been warned. Samuel became a most trustworthy prophet, believed by the people of Israel . He lived a long life and even became the one to anoint both Saul and David as kings of Israel. He was a blessed servant of God.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for finding people of peace like Samuel and forming them into leaders who seek to do what you need to have done. If you are calling us to be your servants today, help us to hear your call, to have our epiphany, and to live the rest of our days in service to you.  Amen.